Madge
September 12, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Margaret” or “Margery” / “Marjorie” / “Marjory“, or possibly even “Martha“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maarit, Mae, Maisie, Maisy, Maggi, Maggie, Maggy, Mamie, Maret, Margaux, Marge, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Margy, Marji, May, Meg, Megeen, Megan, Megen, Meggie, Meggy, Midge, Peg, Pegeen, Peggie, Peggy, Peigi, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Madge Lapham, Mrs. Lapham’s oldest daughter, “handsome in a coarse-grained, red-faced, thick-waisted way”, loud-voiced and roughly good-natured, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
Priscilla
September 9, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Prisca”, from a Roman family name meaning “ancient” or “of ancient birth”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cece, Cila, Cili, Cilka, Cilla, Cille, Pricila, Pricilla, Pris, Prisca, Priscila, Priska, Priskilla, Prissie, Prissy, Scilla, Sileas, Silja, Silje, Silke, Sile, Sille, Sisi, Sissie, Sissy, Zilla, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Priscilla Lapham (called “Cilla“), Mrs. Lapham’s devoted, reliable, practical teenaged daughter, who remains a true friend to Johnny through all the turmoil of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Priscilla (1735-1812), pen name of English activist, reformer, and writer Ann Jebb.
– Priscilla Buckley (1921-2012), American author and editor.
– Priscilla Galloway (b. 1930), Canadian children’s book author.
– Priscilla Napier (1908-1998), English author and biographer.
– Priscilla Uppal (b. 1974), Canadian novelist, playwright, and poet.
– Priscilla Wakefield (1751-1832), English activist, children’s book author, and writer.
Cilla
September 9, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Cecilia”, “Lucille”, “Priscilla“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cece, Celia, Cila, Cili, Cilke, Cille, Cissy, Luca, Luce, Luci, Lucia, Lucie, Lucja, Lucy, Lula, Lulu, Luus, Luzia, Pris, Prisca, Priska, Prissie, Prissy, Scilla, Sileas, Silja, Silje, Silke, Sile, Sille, Sisi, Sissie, Sissy, Zilla, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Cilla (Priscilla) Lapham, Mrs. Lapham’s devoted, reliable, practical teenaged daughter, who remains a true friend to Johnny through all the turmoil of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Cilla McQueen (b. 1949), English poet.
Dusty
September 9, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
A diminutive of “Dustin”, or a nickname given to people who were often dusty or dirty.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Dustee, Dusti, Dustie.
For boys: Dustan, Dustie, Dustin, Duston, Dustyn.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dusty Miller, one of Johnny’s two co-apprentices at Lapham’s silversmithing business, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Dusty Hughes (b. 1947), English director and playwright.
Jonathan
September 9, 2015 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Hebrew “Yehonatan” or “Yonatan”, meaning “Jehovah has given” or “gift of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gionata, Ionathan, Johnathan, Johnathon, Johnnie, Johnny, Jon, Jonatas, Jonathon, Jonatan, Jonaton, Jon-jon, Jonni, Jonnie, Jonny, Jontie, Jonty, Nat, Nate, Nathan, Nattie, Natty, Yehonatan, Yonatan, Yoni, Yonni, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Jonathan Lyte, the sly and selfish wealthy merchant who was Johnny’s great-uncle, though he refused to acknowledge the connection, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
– Jonathan Lyte Tremain (called “Johnny“), the gifted and proud teenaged hero of Johnny Tremain.
WRITERS:
– Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), Irish author, cleric, essayist, poet, and satirist.
Victoria
September 2, 2015 § 6 Comments
ORIGIN:
Latin, from the Roman goddess of victory; feminine form of “Victorius” (which is also, of course, from Latin, meaning “victory”).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Latoya, Toree, Tori, Toria, Toriana, Torie, Torri, Torrie, Torry, Tory, Toya, Vic, Vicie, Vickey, Vicki, Vickie, Vicky, Victoire, Victoriana, Victorina, Victorine, Victory, Vicy, Vikki, Viktoria, Viktorie, Viktorija, Viktoriya, Vitoria, Vittoria, Wikolia, Wiktoria, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Aunt Victoria, Shad’s aunt in Washington, who works as a nurse during the war, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Victoria Benedictsson (1850-1888), Swedish novelist who published under the pen name “Ernst Ahlgren”.
– Victoria Mary Clarke (b. 1966), Irish journalist and writer.
– Victoria Chang (b. 1970), American poet and writer.
– Victoria Hislop (b. 1959), English novelist and short story writer.
– Victoria Newcomb (b. 1974), American novelist.
– Victoria Ocampo (1890-1979), Argentine intellectual and writer.
– Victoria Strauss (b. 1955), American fantasy author.
– Victoria Williams (b. 1958), American musician, singer, and songwriter.
Hardin
September 1, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From an English last name / place name, meaning “hare’s valley”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hardan, Harden, Hardene, Hardeyn, Hardon, Haredene.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Middle name of Benjamin Hardin Creighton (b. 1832), oldest of the Creighton children, “left for Californy 1849”), in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Hardin E. Taliaferro (1811-1875), American humorist, preacher, and writer.
Lucinda
September 1, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
A variation of “Lucia” / “Lucy“, created by Miguel de Cervantes for his 1605 novel Don Quixote.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cinda, Cinde, Cindi, Cindie, Cindy, Sinda, Sinde, Sindi, Sindie, Sindy, Liucija, Liusaidh, Lleucu, Llucia, Luca, Luce, Lucette, Luci, Lucia, Lucie, Lucija, Lucila, Lucilla, Lucile, Lucille, Lucilla, Lucinde, Lucja, Lucy, Lula, Lulu, Lusinda, Lusinde, Lusia, Lusi, Lusie, Lusy, Luus, Luzia, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lucinda Creighton (b. 1834), one of “the twin girls, long since married and moved to Ohio” who are among Jethro’s far-distant older siblings, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Lucinda Coxon (b. 1962), English playwright and screenwriter.
– Lucinda Lambton (b. 1943), English broadcaster, photographer, and writer.
– Lucinda Rosenfeld (b. 1969), American novelist.
– Lucinda Roy (b. 1955), English educator, novelist, and poet.
Irv
August 31, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Irving”, from a Scottish last name / place name, meaning “beautiful” or “green water”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Earwin, Earvin, Erwin, Erwyn, Erv, Ervin, Ervyn, Irwin, Irwyn, Irven, Irvine, Irving, Irvyn, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Irv Chandler, a friend from Hildalgo, who joins in the watch over the Creighton farm when it’s threatened by Guy Wortman and his gang, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Israel
August 31, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “ruling with the Lord” or “wrestling with the Lord” (from “Yisra’el”, meaning “God contended”).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Is, Iser, Israhel, Isreal, Isreel, Issur, Issy, Iz, Izrael, Izreel, Izzy, Sroel, Yisrael, Yizreel, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Israel Thomas, a friend and neighbor of the Creighton’s, who sometimes brings their mail over from Hidalgo, and who joins in the watch over the Creighton farm when it’s threatened by Guy Wortman and his gang, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Israel the Grammarian (c.895-c.965), Breton (?) philosopher, poet, scholar, theologian, and writer.
– Israel Belkind (1861-1929), Russian activist, author, educator, historian, and writer.
– Israel Davidson (1870-1939), American publisher and writer.
– Israel Friedlander (1876-1920), Polish activist, educator, rabbi, scholar, and translator.
– Israel Dov Frumkin (1850-1914), Russian-Palestinian author and journalist.
– Israel Gollancz (1863-1930), English editor, professor, scholar, and translator.
– Israel Gutman (1923-2013), Polish-Israeli historian.
– Israel Horovitz (b. 1939), American actor, director, and playwright.
– Israel ben Moses Najara (c.1555-c.1625), Ottoman poet, preacher, and rabbi.
– Israel Orenstein (1831-after 1888?), Russian novelist.
– Israel Pinkas (b. 1935), Israeli poet.
– Israel Regardie (1907-1985), Anglo-American occultist and writer.
– Israel Segal (1944-2007), Israeli author, commentator, and journalist.
– Israel Joshua Singer (1893-1944), American novelist.
– Israel Zangwill (1864-1926), English activist and author.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 